Authorities say a man who posed as a driver for ride-hailing companies has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting seven women over a 15-month period in Los Angeles County.

Advertisement

The district attorney’s office says Nicolas Morales faces 27 charges including nine counts of forcible oral copulation and six counts of rape. His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. It wasn’t immediately known if the 44-year-old has an attorney.

The alleged assaults happened across greater Los Angeles from late 2016 until the beginning of this year. Prosecutors say a knife was used in some of the attacks.

The Los Angeles Times linked one of the incidents to a sex assault that reportedly took place in Hollywood on Jan. 7, 2017. The victim told police she ordered an Uber and got into a vehicle, thinking it was her ride. Instead, the driver took her to a secluded location and assaulted her, police said.

Morales has been jailed since his arrest Feb. 23. Prosecutors are asking bail to be set at $10 million.

If convicted as charged, he could face up to 300 years to life in prison.